Automatic air and gas mixing machine



W. W. KEMP AND W. H. VAN HORN.

' AUTOMATIC AIR AND GAS M|x|NG MACHINE.

, APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9.1915- l 1,420,658, PatendJune 27, 1922.

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W. W. KEMP ANDW.v H. VAN HORN.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND GAS MIXING MACHINE.

APPLIICATION FILED FEB. 9,1915- Patented June 27, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

U17/iam M Kefir/0 MAY/fam We arfz/ `W. W. KEMP AND W. H. VAN HORN.

AUTOMATiC A'IR AND GAS MIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.9,1915.

1,420,658. 1 Patented June 27,. 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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AUTOMATIC AIR AND GAS MIXING MACHINE. APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. 9. 1915.

Patented-June 27, 1922;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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AUTOMATIC AIR AND GAS MIXING MACHINE.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

WILLIAM W. KEMP AND WILLIAM H. VANHORN, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND GAS MIXING MACHINE.

To alli/)710m it/may concern Be it known that we. VILLIAAI lV. KEMP and VIILIAM H. VAN Hoax, citizens of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air and Gas Mixing'Machines. of which the followingis aspecification.

This invention'relates to fluid mixing apparatus or machines; and particularly to machines for mixing manufactured or nat uralgas with air to produce agas that will burn with perfect combustion, and by the use of which Bunsen burners may be dispensed with, and the fire at the point of consumption be controlled b v a single valve.

An object of this invention-is to provide a machine for mixing air andgas which is automatic. which embodies a simple construction and combinationof proportioning and pressure regulating means forpthe fluids, which resents 'a compact structure, which is of hlgh efficiency, which'is capable of a great latitude of adjustment. and which is positive in opel'ation.

A further object ofthe invention is vto provide a machine of this character with a plurality of devices adapted to interruptthe flow of the separate fluids; and to provide a control for the separate devices which will periodically opera-te the same to uniformly proportion the fluids, the control being adjustable to vary the periods of operation thereof so as to change the relative proportions of the fluids as desired. i r

In the following detail description of the present preferred embodiment of this invention, the above and other variousobjects and advantages of this inventlon wlll be more clearly brought out, the 's ame being shown 1n the accompanying drawings where1n,

Fig. 1 is' a side elevation of the complete automatic air andv gas mixing machine of this invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig.' 3 .is an enlarged vertical transverse section' ofl one end of the'machine taken through the inlet chamber and the air andgas inlets, disclosing the valves controlling the inlets.

Fig. 4 is a detail enlarged transverse sectional view of the machine taken through Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 27, 1922, Application led February 9, 191,5. Serial No. 7,138.

.. Fig. 8 is a- 'plan view of`the development of the cam of the operating mechanism.

Referring to these drawings, wherein like parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, l() designates a base or frame of any approved construction and form capable of supporting in compact positio/n! the hereinafter described parts.

, Mounted upon oneend of the base 10 is an inlet chamber 11, the same being in the form Aof a Y, one branch of which is connected kto a gas inlet 12, while the opposite branch is connected to an air inlet 13. The inlet cham- The shafts 17 and 18 project through the sides of the valve c-asings 21 which house the valves, and' have upon their outer ends crank arms 22 joined at their free ends by a link 23. The link 23 is pivoted atI its intermediate portion to a rocker arm24 normally held in position by a spring 25, to retain the valve 16 open and the valve 15 closed. The

rocker arm 24 is mounted upon a rock shaft- -26 suitably journaled in the base or frame 10, and provided with a relatively wide foot 27, as may be best seen from Fig. 5.. Thus the'valves 15 and 16 are so connected together and arranged with respect vto the u openings 14 that when one of the openings is uncovered the other is closed, and vice Versa, whereby an alternate operation of the gas and air supply is effected.

A guide bar 28 is mounted upon the frame 10 and carries a sleeve 29 adjustably secured to the bar 28 by a handscrew 30. The sleeve 29 has suitably pivoted thereon a trip 31 in the form of a T the long arm of which has pivotal engagement with the sleeve 29. The shorter arms 32 and 33 of the T project in opposite directions, are provided with anti-friction rollers, and bear respectively upon the foot 27 and upon an overhanging cam 34 suitably mounted for rotation on the base.

' The cam 34 is "of a width substantially Aequal to thewidth of the foot 27, and is provided, preferably at diametrically opposite points, with transverse series of projections 35 and 36. The project-ions 35, as may be seen from Figs. 2 and 8, terminate at one side in a line parallel to thc axis of the cam, and at their opposite sides in a yline which is Voblique to the axis of the cam.

VThis arrangement or formation of the projections 35 provides a row or series of projections vwhich extends from side to side of the cam, and which successively increase in width from end to end of the row. The outer surfaces a and 362l of the projections 35 and 36, respectively, and the periphery 34a of the body portion of the cam are lconcentric to the axis of rotation of the cam. .The projections 36 are of like form and arrangement to the projections 35 so as to duplicate the action of the projections 35 in one revolution of the cam 34.

The cam 34 is mounted upon a shaft 37 having a spur gear 38 meshing with a worm 39, the latter being operated by the drive pulley 40 through the bevel gears 41. c

The inlet chamber 11 opens at its lower endinto a main pipe 42, the latter extending supply pipes 'or inlets.

preferably longitudinally of and beneath thebase 10, and having at an intermediate point a check valve 43 to prevent the back-` ward flow of the mixture through the main passage 42 and into the inlet chamber and While the check valve 43 may be of any approved construction, it is preferably as shown, and a cap plate 44 is provided by the removal of which access may be had to the check valve 43.

The main pipe 42 extends lto the opposite,

end of the base 10, and terminates in a T 45. The T 45 o ens into a suction pump 46 of any approved) construction, which is operated by the driving pulley-40 through the main shaft 47 and parts connected thereto.

A second T 48 mounted upon the top of the pump, has one branch thereof leading to a distributing or outlet pipe 49, and its opposlte-branchcpening into a pressure regulator casing 50. f

The casing 50 is provided with a central piston valve chamber 51, inwhich is mountved a piston valve 52, and has in its wall an annular channel or passage 53 for communication with the T 48 when the piston valve 52 is in open position. The passage 53 is connected to a return pipe 54 which is carried laterally from the casing 50 and down- ,wardly beneath the base 10 to the lower Above the casing 50 there is suitably ari lthrough the top of the diaphragm casing,

the upper end of the rod being threaded to receive a nut 57h, by means of which the diaphragm 56 and the valve 52 carried thereby may be: adjusted. If desired, the valve may be prevented from moving into a totally closed position by adjust-mg the nut upon the rod 57a, and if such adjustment 1s made, itwill be seen that the T 48 is always ,1n communication with the by-pass 54. The operation of this improved automatic air and gas mixing machine is as follows The main shaft 47 is driven in any sultable manner through the drive pulleyv 40 not only to set the suction pump 46 into operation, but also to rotate the caml 34. The

operation of the suction pump 46 creates ai suction in t-he main pipe 42 and compels the vand 36 are automatic-allybrought into engagement with the trip 31, may be seen from Fig. 4, to depress the trlp 31 and the foot 27, rock the shaft 26 and the arm 24 against the tension of the spring 25, and shiftthe link 23 to move the valves 1 5 and 16 into a new position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The valves are held in this new position for a period equal to theI length of 'time required for the -outer concentric surfaces 35a 0r 36a of the projections, 35 or 36, to pass the trip 31. As the projections, 35 and 36, consecutively increase in Width from side to side of the cam, such period may be lengthened or shortened by changing the position of the trip 31 between the foot 27 and the cam 34. For instance, from Figs. 4 and 5, it will be '-mted that the trip 31 is adjusted@ hold 1 'the -f-valves in tripped position for the shortest period of-timeA for which the ma- '.'ijectrion-v3, as seen in Fig. 4. Should it be 'chine is adapted, the trip-beingv so adjusted thatit engages the nearest and/smallest pro- Y-"fdlesired to lengthen the `period of time for :fthe desired width,when upon the operation fffof the vmachine-the valves will be .tripped and held in such position during such dey yalves are in their tripped position, ori'the i position imposed on them by the'periodic' .action of.' the cam 34.'. In this position the valve 15 is open whereby the gas may Jfreely enter the inlet chamber 11, andthe valve 16 "is closed, whereby'to sh'uto'f the flow of air' 'to the 'inlet chamber.4 As the camtcontinues ,its- -rotation the projection 35 or 36 .moves out of engagement withV the 'roller upon the trip 31 and the arm V.24, under tension of the 'springv35`n moves in a direction -to open the an .valve 16 and close the gas"va1,ve.15.

.'During the interval in whichf'the roller upon 'o the -trip is passing from. thejputerjconcentrio'surface 35a or 36a of one of the projec- .val'ves arebelngshifted simultaneously permitting'air andgasto flow simultaneously into the chamberll, and while thisv interval .of time is veryA small, the amountof'airand -f gas- `admitted is appreciable.

f The suction pump 46 draws the admixed.- air and gas through the main-.pipe 42, past the check 'valve43, `and into'the pump 46. The admixture is then forced from'the pump 46 into the upper T 48, and out through the distributing or outlet pipe 49 to the desired point of consumption, expansion tank, or the like.

l During -thenormaloperation of the appaf l vratus, the valve 52 lis always o en to some extent to. allow a portion of ther uids to pass from the outlet side of the suction :pump

through the by-passl 54 to the inlet side' of 2; thefsuction'purp. 'If 'a larger' percentage of the mixture delivered by the suction 'pump 46 is led Yoli" through the outlet Apipe 5 49 for consumption, the pressure in the upper T 48 tends to fall resulting in a decreased'pressure under the diaphragm l5.6 of *z th'e pressure regulator, .and permitting the valve 52 under gravity to move downwardly to less open position, and thus the amount of fluid which is bylpass'edv is decreased whereuponthe rpressure inthe T 48 immediately 4:rises to normal. If-but little gas is consumed.,`the pressure'withinthe upper-'T 48 tends to increase, but the increase in 4pressure .is momentary only, lfor. the increased presholding' the valvein the tripped position, itA ijs-only necessary to slide the sleeve 29 alongfthe horizontal guide bar 28 to bring the trip 31 .oppositeto 'the projection 35, or 36, of.

periphery-`34a of the' cam, the' sure is communicated through the pipe to the lower'iside of the diaphragm 56 which -raises andl lifts the valve 52 to a more open position so that a larger amount of air and gas is by-passed through the by-pass 54 .to the inlet side of the pump.

. twill be notedl that unlform pressure'of the air and gas mixture is .automatically maintained inthe outlet pipe 49 for upon fluctuation of the amount of mixture con-- lower the valve 52 and thus vary `the amount of mixture by-passed, the greater the consumption, the smaller amount of. mixtureK -being by-passed, andyice'versa.l The .tendency for the vpressure to vary is momentary only for, upon the slightest iiuctuation, the

valvey 52, is moved wto vary the amount'of u 475 sumed the diaphragm .is effected to raise or mixture by-passedland the pressure is immediately brought to normal. When the device is operating within its' capacity, the

valve 52 isv always open. to permit commumcation between the T 48 and the by-pass 54,

but should the amount of gas consumed ex' .ceed the capacity of the device, thefvalve 52 will move into wholly closed positionand the pressure in the'outlet pipe would drop? resulting. in a less eilicientv operation vof the machine.-v If desired, the valve 52 may be so adjusted-that4 it will not move into t tally closed position, although the machine is operating beyond its capacity, in which 'case, part of-the admitted fluids .would be ley-passed', but thepressure in theoutlet pipe wouldb'materially decreased.

` Itswill be seen that 'the gas and air inlet valves 1.5 and 16 continue to operate at the saine rate of speedl irrespective of thek amount of. mixture consumed, or' the amount of mixture bypassed. The air and gas inlet valves operate continuously and this is .Y I.

true although the entire amount of mixture in the device is by-passedv through the pipe .presentU disclosure, and Y that the. valves 1.5 Y and 16 are made with a'corresponding numl berofvfaces. This construction of valvev and valve ports or openings admits of the opening of .a relatively large area of the port by the ,relatively small movement of the T he apparatis as disclosed, having the -chamber 11 andthe mixture'lfeeding pipe v42, will, of course', bring about a mixture of the incoming luidsfromJ-thefpipes 12NA and "13, but v obviously .the fluids. may be deliv-l ered lfrom the outlet pipe 49 in proper proportions and to a considerable extent commingled to any suitable reservoir or rethe entire large port.

ceiver from which the miXture may be led to the burners or-other devices.

vIt has been found that due to the rapidity with which the valves are shifted, the fluids. are admitted in small amounts or blocks to the inletchamber 11, and as, at certainvintervals, air andgas are admitted simultaneously to the inlet chamber 11, the tendency of the gas to stratify is negligible. We have also found that the by-pass 54 aids in the prevention of stratification of the gases, for this by-pass provides a means for maintaining the fluids in circulation. In a machine of this character it is found necessary to provide ports j of large crosssectional area, land to provide correspondingly large valves. If the well known poppet valve were employed, and made to the required size, it would be too nheavy and cumbersome for`the satisfactory operation of the machine. To overcome this difficulty applicants have conceived the above de'- scribed slide valves of the peculiar form shown, wherein the valves have a plurality of seating faces to control the corresponding number of component openings constituting The valve operating and controlling mechanism has been devised to impart the necessary slight reciprocating movement to the-valves without shock to the valves and their parts, and to conform to the compactness of the entire machine.

The above described parts are all -assembled upon a single base, are so formed and interconnected, as to providefor a relatively compact and simple machine reduced to a minimum number of parts, and a Inachine which` is positive Ain operation and which at the same time is flexible as to a variety of adjustments. y I

yIt is of course understood that various. changes within the scope of the following claims may be made in the detailsof the above described embodiment of this invention, and that the parts may be of any desired design without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lWhat is claimed is- 1. In a machine as specified; air and gas inlets; a valve for each inlet; a connection between the valves to maintain one of the same open while the other is closed and admit one fluid at4 a time to the machine; means for' periodically shifting the valves to change the fluid delivered to the machine;

and means for changing the period of shifty ing of the valves.

2. In a machine vas specified; inlets for separate fluids; avalve for each inlet; a positive connection between the valves to maintain the same in alternate relation whereby to admit one fluid at a time to the machine;

chamber having a plurality of inlet ports; a

valve for each port; a link connecting said valves .for alternately opening andclosing the same; `a rocker arm connected to the link; a shaft supporting said arm; a foot on said shaft and a lsingle rotary cam having projections 'thereon for depressing' said foot and simultaneously-actuating both of said valves.

`4. In a machineas specified, an inlet chamber, a plurality ,of inlet ports opening into the chamber, a valve for each port,

means connecting the valves, a single, cam e for engagement with lsaid .means to periodia valve for each port, means connecting said valves to simultaneously operate the samel for alternate opening and closing, al single cam for engagement with. said means whereby to operate the valves simultaneously, and means for-effecting' relative vmovement between' the cam and said means connecting the valves for changing the period of operaytion-of the cam to vary the length of time the valves are closed and opened.

6. In a machine as specified; a `receiving chamber having inlet ports; a valve for each port; a link connecting the valves; a presser foot connected to the link; a rotating cam having `a' transverse row of'projections on the side thereof consecutively increasingin Width from end to end of the row; and a trip adjustable between the cam 'and thepresser foot adapted to register with any Aone of said cam projections.

"7. AIn a machine as specified; a receiving' chamber having a plurality of inlet ports;

a valve for each port; a link connecting the valves;'a rock shaft connected to said link for simultaneously operating the valves; a presservfoot on said rock shaft; a cam spaced from said presser foot and having a transverse row of consecutively enlarged projections von one, side thereof; and an adjustable trip" betweenthe presser foot and the cam adapted for registration with any one of said projections whereby to adjust the period of depression of said foot as desired. y '8. In a machine as specified; a receiving chamber having a plurality of inlets; a valve for each inlet; a link connecting said valves for simultaneous operation; a `rock shaft connected tosaid link; a spring urging said valves in normal position; a presserl foot on the rock shaft; a rotating ca'm having a plurality of graduated projections; and-la trip -,rock shaft in one .direction to retain the adjustable between the presser' foot andthe cam and adapted for registry with any oneof said projections whereby to maintain said foot in depressed position'for the period desired.

9. In a machine as speciiied; a receiving chamber having inlet orts'; valves controlling said ports; mecha 'smsfconnecting said valves tolsimultan'eously operatethe same; means normally and yieldingly holding the valves in one position; a presser foot con-A nected to said mechanism; a 'trip engaging the presser -foot;a cam in the `path of said trip for periodically actuating the same-to i .change the positionof the valves;- saidtrip being adjustable relative to thecam'whereby to change the period of operation 'of the valves 10. In a machine as specified; a receiving chamber havin a plurality of inletports;

projections upon thevcam; and a trip be-- tweenthe cam and saidfpresser'foot whereby said cam. periodically depresses said foot to -change the position ofsaid valve,` said trip being adjustable whereby to change the length ofrthe period of operation of said ing the valves; and a cam cam.

11. In a fluid mixing apparatiis;laibase;'

a plurality of viuid inlet passages on the base; an inlet .chamber into .which said pipes empty; a valve for. each pipe at its entrance to said chamber; `a link connecting said" valves; a trip connected to said link; a cam in the path `of said trip adapted to engage the same to open lall of saidvalves; and

manually adjustable means associated with said cam and said trip whereby to vary the period of valve opening. 12.y In a machine as specified; air 'and gas.

' inlets; slide .valves controlling Athe inlets;

, feeding air and gas under preure through for feeding .a'pluralit v valves open.

means connecting saidvalves; means for the inlets; means for automatically and periodically Vactuatingfsaid valve connecting means to openfandiclose said valves; and manually adjustable :for changing the periodv ofoperationof said valves.

13. In a fluid mixinglapparatus; the-combination 'with an inlet chamber; and means of uids'under con# stant pressure -to sai chamber; of/a slide valve for controlling each fluid; means connecting said valves forsimultaneous move-- ment; means for :automatically and inter.-

mittently opening-said slide lvalves; and

' chamber; two inlet 'ustablemeans-'for varying and manually ad e period of retaining said slide controlling t 14. In a Huid mixing @Permette com bination of ya chamber, air and gas inlets communicating said chamber,'valves chamber alternately pressure through said valve' for each port, means air `will be aitemnatei admitted te the cham.

arranged to close and open said inlets means'. -for feeding air' andgas and lmeans controlling movement of said valveswhereby lseparate;flo- Ws of'gas and through sad inlets, f

ber Sand flows of bot air and 'gasadmitted between the periods of said separateZilows. 15. vIn a 'duid mixingapparatus, the comal valve controllin bination of a chamber, '.-ineans, for feedingfA two fluids under pressure to said chamberthe iowjof each fluid..

to the chamber, an mies'in's for'autoniaticallyl actuating the valves vtopermit admission'to said chamber of each fluid and the simultaneous offboth" fluids between the sion 'ofthc separate fluids.

admission periods of admis- 16. In a machinev as specified; air and inlets; slide valves controlling said'lnlets';

means for feeding air and, gas through theinlets ;'and means for actuating said v alves, the parts being so related as to admit air and gas at different intervals,

riods of separate admission of the fluids.'

sis

and admit air and gas simultaneously betweenthe pe- 17. In a machine asspecied; aneinlet chamber; a plurality of inlet ports opening into said chamber; means for a plurality of fluids under pressure to sai chamber; 'a valve'for each port' meansconnecthaving a projets-5 tion provided -with a concentric outer `surface for engagement with said valve conone of said valves beingin necting means; open position, and the other in closed position when said connectin means 'is 1n engement with therperip ery? of the cam, said v alve's being in reverse position when the concentric Isurfaceof the projection is in engagement with said connecting means,

and all of saidvalves being simultaneously shifted when said connecting means is mov- .ing lfrom lengagement with either the periphery f the cam or the outer surface of -the projection the other 'of thesesurfaces.

.- 18. In a machine as specified, a mixin chamber; two inlet ports openin into sai chamber, means for feeding two "pressure through said ports respectively, a

valve for each port, means for; actuating both 'saidvalvesto permit admission to the of the separate iuids and admission of both fluids between the periods lof admission of the separate fluids, an outletffr'omsaid chamber, and means for maintaining the pressure of the mixture liowing through said outlet constant.

for actuating uids under 19.In a machine as` specified, a mixing operate uniformly and regularly entirely independent of the amount of mixture passing through the outlet. i

20. In a machine fas specified, a mixing chamber two inletY ports opening into said chamber, mea-ns for feeding two fluids under pressure through said. ports respectively, a valve for each port, means for actuating both said valves to permit admission to the chamber alternately of the 'separate fluids and admission of both'fluids between the periods of admission of the separate fluidspan outlet from said Chamber, burners/commu nicating with the outlet,and means whereby the valves will be operated uniformly independent of any variation in the amount of mixture consumed by the burners.'

21. ln a machine as specified, the combination of a .mixing chamber, two .inlet ports opening into said chamber, vmeans for Vfeeding two fluids under pressure through` .p

said ports respectively, a valve for. each port, and'means for actuating the valves to effect admission of the separate luidsal# ternatel to the chambers and admission of both flu1ds between the periods of admission of thev separate fluids.

22. In a machine as specified, the combination of a mixing chamber, two inlet ports opening into said chamber, means for feeding two vfluids under pressure throughsaid ports-respectively, a valve for each port, and a common means for actuating both said valves, the valves and. port-s being so related that the tivo fluids will bie-admitted sepa rately to the chamber alternately and simultaneously between the periods of admission of the separate fluids. v

In testimony whereof we have hereunto 'set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM w. KEMP. WILLIAM II. VAN HORN. Witnesses:

GERTRUDE M. STUOKER,

F. M. Gmz. 

